EXCESSIVE SHIPPING FREIGHTS.
STATE-OWNED FLEET URGED. At the Palea Harbor Board meeting on Monday, the following resolution, passed by the Milton Borough Council, was read: "In view of the excessive cost of exporting the surplus produce of the Dominion, this council is of opinion that the New Zealand Government should be urged to adopt measures to secure, at the earliest possible date, a Government mercantile licet of steamers, in. order that producers and others may not be : entirely at the mercy of shipping combines and kindred monopolies." The chairman considered this a moat important question, affecting, not only l'ic producer, but the people of the I Dominion as a whole. It was true that . iiicy had not been greatly impressed with some Government undertakings in Ihe past, and tho only ones they had rua really successfully were tho railway! pud the Post and Telegraph Department Hut the shipping question was a matte* that should be tackled by the Government, in conjunction with local bodies, such as harbor boards, farmers' unions, etc. The people of this country hat* been at the mercy of the shipping com* bines since the war, and they hod sees by the papers that further combine* were constantly taking place. Being at Ihe mercy of these combines, producers and consumers had to pay whatever Ireights were asked of them, and farmers particularly should, in their own interests, take this matter up. Excessive freights affected, as he said, not «tly the producer, but every other memVtr of the community, and he moved thut this board heartily supports the view of tho Milton Borough Council. Mr. Grainger said the only question was whether such a fleet should b» State-owned. In his opinion, the position would be better met if the merchants and producers could combine, but here, again, was a difficulty, because, for cm thing, of the shipping companies' money invested in so many of our freezing works. If producers could get a fleet of, say, four good steamers it might regulate freights, which, admittedly, had been excessive for a long time. Mr. Dickie remarked that many State enterprises were not now paying interest on the money invested, and they would find that there would be a tremendous amount of money behind the shipping combines, who would probably endeavor to Btarve out any competitors. The trouble about a State-owned fleet would be that every little port would want a steamer built to suit its own facilities, end there would be a tremendous amouejt of political interference. If the Govern* ment purchased a fleet of very Uf steamers and allotted thorn to the. ipm*' chief ports only, tho scheme might $e practical. / Mr. Pacey considered that they should; support the Milton Borough Council's suggestion with all the power at their command. The big shipping concerns were an octopus spreading their tentacles around everything. Admitting that Government enterprises had not hitherto been glaring successes, it was, nevertheless, desirable that they should now take ■ same action to bring down freights to » reasonable amount. They were at present in a deplorable position, and something should be done to remedy the existing conditions. Mr. Corrigan was very much in favor of the resolution. Western Australia, before the war, started a shipping company that got on rather badly. But, although they ran their boats at an actual loss, they kept the freights down on competing boata, and the country generally reaped a very considerable, benefit ns a result. No doubt, if a fleet was created in New Zealand all sorts of devices would be brought into voguo to make it a non-paying concern. But. if they succeeded in bringing freights down to a fair basis—and shipping companies should be allowed a fair thing—it would be a great benefit to the Dominion. It was in tho interests of the country that the State should now take some action. So far as finance was concerned, they could rest assured that New Zealand could find whatever money was required for it; every producer should support ! the scheme, and it should be made a plank of every political platform at the forthcoming general election. Mr. Pearce considered that a fleet of mercantile steamers must be a success if worked partly on co-operative line*. New Zealand had the produce to send Home and the goods to bring out, and if practical men guided the enterprise it must be successful. The chairman, in reply, was pleased tc see the interest taken by members in this very important matter. If all local bodies took a like interest in It it would soon bo carried into effect. The luheme may seem a.big one, but, with regard to the financial aspect of it, there' • was any amount of money in the Dominion, and they might have noticed from banking returns that there were twenty-two millions of money lying idle in the hanks. The exports and imports of Now Zealand amounted, roughly, to fifty millions. They were careful in hand ling small private businesses, for example j why not now look after the greatest earaying business the Dominion has? Ho predicted that the time was not far distant when New Zealand would have its own retail stores, freezing chambers, etc., in London. Until they did so producers would never get their proper value in the Home markets in normal times. They had In normal tiincn, before the war, sold their produce at Home on ridiculous terms, and he quoted New Zealand prime meat as having been sold wholesale at an average of 4d per lb and retailed at Is per lb. The difference between these two prices went to the middlemen. There Was a vast nrmy of middlemen living on society and not assisting production In any way. If the country decided to go in for a mercantile fleet, and raised the necessary loans to do so, say, five or six millions, within the Dominion, the Interest for tho same would be circulated here.. The motion was carried unanimously. —Star. ;
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Taranaki Daily News, 7 May 1919, Page 5
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995EXCESSIVE SHIPPING FREIGHTS. Taranaki Daily News, 7 May 1919, Page 5
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